Becoming very Frustrated with Entegra - Issues

[rcarriere]

Okay, I am going to apologize up front as I am going to vent for a little bit.

I just purchased this Aspire RBQ 4 weeks ago from a dealer in Louisiana. It is a 2014...one of the last around and it was brand new. Drove it home and found that there are issues. Not to entirely surprising with a new coach and expected this based on previous experience with other coaches. After all the talk about how great Entegra is with their service I really was expecting to have these issues knocked out quickly and before my cross country trip starting next week.

Wrong!!!!: banghead:

Okay, here are the issues.

1. Alignment - Spartan is actually doing a great job in trying to get this corrected. Been to Josams in Orlando once already and they could not fix it but Spartan has new ideas so going back again next week.
2. Air System Leak - Was fixed again through Spartan Dealer - Was a Brake Aire Valve Issue.
3. Power Shade - yes, read all the issues out there so not unexpected. It quit working right after we drove it home and then started working again yesterday. Now Entegra does not want to send the parts to fix it.
4. Headlight was out when we took it off the lot. Entegra asked that I go out and buy and install...which I did.
5. Side marker light was out....and just recently came back on...again Entegra does not want to send a new one.
6. My tank gauges are not matching from inside to outside...not even close.
7. As my fresh water gauge goes up....so does the grey water gauge. They appear to be tied together.
8. I am plugged in to a 50 amp service right now and the lights in the coach are fading in and out like the coach is running on the batteries. This may be just my ignorance on the coach and maybe there is a switch or something that I am missing but I cannot get Entegra on the phone to find out.
9. Hinge missing from icemaker door inside the fridge. (falls off when unlatched) Was told by the dealer there was not one but looked up the model and indeed there should be one. Nobody including GE can find this hinge to fix the door.
10. Have not been able to actually produce ice yet and not sure if it do to the door or if there are other issues.
11. Been trying to find a service center to take a look at the coach but all have been booked out till Dec.
12. Yes, I have been working with Joyce and not exactly pleased.

So far the issues are not huge but it has been a month of calling and emailing and not getting answers. Was told they were sending a tech last week and then Joyce calls and asks if I called dealers that are 90 miles away to schedule an appointment.....nobody told me to call or even provided names. BTW - NOT ENTEGRA DEALERS. Oh ya, it was also suggested I just take the coach to any dealer and pay out of pocket for all repairs and service needed and not to worry as Entegra will reimburse me....when the next check run goes out. Was sent to a Newmar dealer to do the repairs and they flat out refused to work on the coach since they are having issues working with Entegra Corp. However, this dealer is very interested in getting us out of this coach.

Entegra CS continues to remind me that even though the coach is new to us that it has sat at a dealer for over a year so no telling what all could be wrong with the coach or what was done to it.

One more stupid thing that absolutely irritates me - not able to call a tech back on a direct number that you are working with. Have to call back and leave your name and number (never received a call back yet for doing this) or just keep calling back till someone answers.....and it is not the same tech and the tech your were talking to is too busy now to get back on the phone with you....so now need to explain things all over again...and again...and again....

Wife and I are becoming very sorry for buying this coach.

Sorry for the venting...

[Rclukey]

Russell
Sorry you are having so many problems with your new coach. Sounds like you may benefit from going to the factory and having your issues resolved there.

[rcarriere]

I would have happily done so but now I am completely booked for the next two months. Was hoping and planning on using the coach for the travel but now I am starting to wonder if this is a bad idea.

[okcnewbie]

Originally Posted by rcarriere

8. I am plugged in to a 50 amp service right now and the lights in the coach are fading in and out like the coach is running on the batteries. This may be just my ignorance on the coach and maybe there is a switch or something that I am missing but I cannot get Entegra on the phone to find out.
..

No need to apoligize. You've done great in getting the engine taken care of right away.

If you concentrate on number 8 it sounds like you're well on your way to having the coach that you need while you work on turning it into the coach you want. If you give us a little more info there will be plenty of people that can help.

Hang in there and good luck!

[rcarriere]

Originally Posted by okcnewbie

No need to apoligize. You've done great in getting the engine taken care of right away.

If you concentrate on number 8 it sounds like you're well on your way to having the coach that you need while you work on turning it into the coach you want. If you give us a little more info there will be plenty of people that can help.

Hang in there and good luck!

Thank you for the reply. I am not sure what else to say on this one. I did get a Entegra Tech on the line and he had me turn the generator one which gave full power to the coach. I then turned it off and the main power came back on through the electrical cord. The tech was a bit baffle and thought maybe a solenoid and wanted to talk to a another tech and promised to get back to me on next steps....3 hrs ago.

[brobox]

I can certainly understand your frustration. Having had the worst delivery in probably the history of Entegra....I can say their service has been 100% on my coach. I sure hope they come around on yours. I know lately, it has not been easy to get through to CS. I think there are more new coach owners than CS agents to go around now. It was only a matter of time before that happened.

It is surprising that Entegra will not ship warranty parts, that I don't understand.

[Dutch Star David]

How extensive is your previous experience with motor coaches?

Re: #8:
Do you hear a "thunk" when you apply shore power? If not, you probably have a transfer switch problem. Does the panel above the door indicate batteries are charging?

#9:

Which refrigerator do you have? I discovered that I had to press a button on the front panel to start ice maker.

[DSL417]

On #8 (which sounds like the only one that would keep me at home other than the alignment which sounds like they're trying to fix it)....do you have the water pump on. If you do, anytime the faucets or the toilet is on or running, the lights will flicker. Don't know why, but they do...no big thing.

On #6/7...Tank gauges are notorious for inaccuracy. Had a discussion with the president of the company at Redmond about accuracy. It is the standard used in the industry so I don't have a solution there. Recommend you tell Entegra that neither is showing anything. Ask them to send you two readouts. They are extremely easy to switch out. Unless BOTH gauges are showing the fresh and grey filling up at the same rate, I guess I'd say that is weird enough to get new readouts...because there is only one sensor strip on each of the tanks.

As far as service centers are concerned, it is getting the time of the year in FL where getting into a service center of any kind is tough. That said, it has been rare that any service center has been able to take me in short of two weeks out. They are just that busy, FL and elsewhere. I'd look in the phone book for a local mobile repair person, ask Entegra to send you the parts, and let the mobile guy do your work. You have to pay him for the service call, but Entegra has always reimbursed me for the cost within a couple weeks. You need to get him on the phone with Entegra CS to negotiate the hours they'll allow for a fix.

Seems to me that once you get your alignment, you should be able to hit the road as none of these other issues should stop that, JMHO. I know it is frustrating...my list on my coach was 45 long including a couple tough ones (front end alignment; shorted out passenger chair; no change from inclined position; DW not happy with that; generator door broke and sticking out two inches; radio not working; well, anyway). We didn't have the delivery dealership within 2000 miles, and used the factory to fix ours, and we lived through...now we're clicking These things will pass and you'll have a good coach. Good luck.

[rcarriere]

Originally Posted by dlovitt

How extensive is your previous experience with motor coaches?

Re: #8:
Do you hear a "thunk" when you apply shore power? If not, you probably have a transfer switch problem. Does the panel above the door indicate batteries are charging?

#9:

Which refrigerator do you have? I discovered that I had to press a button on the front panel to start ice maker.

My first coach was a 1979 GMC Palm Beach that bought from my Father after traveling in it growing up. I have since owned a Fun Mover and a Tiffin Red.

#8 Yes, I hear the "thunk" when plugging in the coach.

#9 It is a GE with ice maker on the left door. Yes, I have seen the button on the front panel and have pushed it. So far nothing.

[rcarriere]

Originally Posted by DSL417

On #8 (which sounds like the only one that would keep me at home other than the alignment which sounds like they're trying to fix it)....do you have the water pump on. If you do, anytime the faucets or the toilet is on or running, the lights will flicker. Don't know why, but they do...no big thing.

On #6/7...Tank gauges are notorious for inaccuracy. Had a discussion with the president of the company at Redmond about accuracy. It is the standard used in the industry so I don't have a solution there. Recommend you tell Entegra that neither is showing anything. Ask them to send you two readouts. They are extremely easy to switch out. Unless BOTH gauges are showing the fresh and grey filling up at the same rate, I guess I'd say that is weird enough to get new readouts...because there is only one sensor strip on each of the tanks.

Talked with a tech and they feel the outside gauges were not installed correctly. Sending new parts.


As far as service centers are concerned, it is getting the time of the year in FL where getting into a service center of any kind is tough. That said, it has been rare that any service center has been able to take me in short of two weeks out. They are just that busy, FL and elsewhere. I'd look in the phone book for a local mobile repair person, ask Entegra to send you the parts, and let the mobile guy do your work. You have to pay him for the service call, but Entegra has always reimbursed me for the cost within a couple weeks. You need to get him on the phone with Entegra CS to negotiate the hours they'll allow for a fix.

Yes, I have lived in FL on and off since 1987 and completely understand the snowbird rush and how most things become backlogged. If repairs are adequete enough and I take the coach on the trip I will be in CA for nearly a month and Entegra is going to have a tech meet me there to make the current fixes.

Seems to me that once you get your alignment, you should be able to hit the road as none of these other issues should stop that, JMHO. I know it is frustrating...my list on my coach was 45 long including a couple tough ones (front end alignment; shorted out passenger chair; no change from inclined position; DW not happy with that; generator door broke and sticking out two inches; radio not working; well, anyway). We didn't have the delivery dealership within 2000 miles, and used the factory to fix ours, and we lived through...now we're clicking These things will pass and you'll have a good coach. Good luck.

Dave, yes you and I spoke about your previous coach (anthem) and the issues you had with that one as I was thinking about buying it. If the alignment if fixed and the power actually stays on without reverting back to the house batteries, I will be taking the coach. The other stuff can wait.

[DSL417]

Good luck to you. Kinda like a S&B... seems like there is always something to fix. Have to balance this with the total enjoyment we get out of being on the road. the balances really weigh to the latter. Doesn't mean we don't get frustrated sometimes. I try to take the positive, smile, and say to myself, here we go again. But as I read this and other forums (although I no longer post in those forums), it seems none of our coach brands can escape this "...there is always something to work on..." Chin up ... it only gets better!

[Finally]

Sorry to hear you are have troubles. We had a few issues too along with an air leak and an alignment issue but all was corrected and I'm sure yours will be too.

Its hard to have a shiny new rig and have issues.

[brianw8602]

I keep seeing a couple of common complaints on a few different threads on this forum; front end alignment and air leaks. I have to wonder what the background is of the drivers used to deliver these coaches to the dealers? Are they hired by the selling dealer or are they Entegra employees? Either way, I would think they would have a responsibility to report to the dealership that the front end is out of alignment or that there is an air leak! Some of these sound like they were so bad, the driver should have never left the lot in Middlebury, or at least turned around and returned. You can't tell me a professional driver (I know I am making an assumption here) would not detect either of these issues, and not report them. Then again, maybe they do and the dealership ignores it. I hope not.

[DSL417]

Contracted ... "Starfleet" I think is the name. Not impressive (JMHO, professional is pressing the envelope, but one gets the impression they aren't paid very well for what they do, or they would be driving a commercial truck...licensing is the same). Dealer has to sign off when received; in their interest to inspect. I think the all "do" it...again, not an impressive process. One sometimes gets the impression, that since the coaches are under warrantee, the delivery and then the owner will shake out any issues...AND... this is not unique to Entegra if you read through other manufacturer forums on this web site. JMHO